I've searched this forum on the subject of Nagant revolvers and still have a few questions. I've found arsenal refinished Nagants for $75+S&H+transfer and a bunch of my friends want them now too.

1. Apparently 32 S&W Long works in Nagants (I don't want to spend $25/50rds). Are there any problems that arise from a steady diet of 32 SW Long? I don't care about thrashing the brass. I found 32 SW Long for the same price as 7.62x39 steel case ammo---cheap.

2. I understand they have a hammer-mounted firing pin (that looks like something from a Tarantino movie). Is it safe to carry with all 7 cylinders loaded?

3. Are they still accurate with 32 SW Long ammo?

Anything I'm missing?

I fully understand that the DA pull is awful, and the SA pull is...tolerable. I've heard Nagants are accurate, despite all the shortfalls. All I expect is a cheap bunny snuffer that will probably spend most of its time on the range.

Thanks!

jrinne0430

November 15, 2008, 05:44 PM

I own two of them and fired nothing but 32 S&W longs and sometimes the mags when I can get them. No problems shooting 32s out of them (may get slight case bulge by the rim). It appears safe to have all chambers loaded, and it is fairly accurate depending on the ammo. I have success shooting it SA with 86gr lead S&W longs.

Tom2

November 15, 2008, 06:48 PM

You can get a conversion cylinder for 32 ACP for those, I understand. Well it would be cheaper than the Nagant replica ammo. The regular "short" 32 S&W carts are not loaded very hot at all, so they ain't gonna break the gun, if they hold together on firing. Like, all of them are factory loaded to 600-700 fps, probably toward the lower end. My only beef with them is they look cool and archaic, but on close inspection, alot of them look like they were made from iron blocks by Afghans with coarse hand files in a tin hut somewhere. Presumably the pre Soviet ones were nicer?

Tidewater_Kid

November 15, 2008, 08:50 PM

I don't think they look rough at all. Here's mine. It's a 1944 Izzy I got from Century Arms for $69 last year. I have fired .32 S&W Longs in it many times.

http://home.hiwaay.net/%7Eacook/photo/m1895-1.jpg

TK

noelf2

November 16, 2008, 12:33 AM

I have a couple too. They are safe to load all 7. Trigger must be pulled for the firing pin to contact a cartridge's primer. I have fired 32 s&w long and the cases bulge and split. With my 2, accuracy isn't that great with anything other than factory nagant ammo, the gas seal stuff. I have a 32 acp cylinder that will fit in one but not the other. Accuracy is really bad with the 32 acp when compared to actual nagant ammo (hotshot), which is very accurate. I may get the 32 acp cylinder reamed to take the 32 mags one day, but haven't found a place to do that yet.

They are fun, and you will enjoy yours I'm sure.

Yellowfin

November 24, 2008, 09:27 PM

They're even cooler suppressed. One of the few revolvers that can do it well, and looks better with a can than without.

johnwilliamson062

November 25, 2008, 12:25 AM

Someone broke into my house last night. Broke a window on the first floor. I grabbed my Nagant. Caught him as he climbed in the window, lined up center chest and squeezed the trigger. Shot him in the back on his way out after he grabbed my TV and DVD player.

WA, had it first, but I think I improved it a little.

Guns are great. Fun to shoot.

greywalker

November 25, 2008, 12:41 AM

so you actually shot an intruder with a nagant- do you all have the castle provision over there....or am I missing a joke or something....so if its not a joke, was that with .32 longs or hr mags....... edit, after careful thought I am leaning toward the belief that this is a joke regarding the anemic properties of the nagant and its round(s)

johnwilliamson062

November 25, 2008, 12:48 AM

joke on the trigger creep
The round is not anemic, you just have to use the pistol as originally intended. Proper use also eliminates problems with accuracy resuting from the extreme trigger pull.
1.Find a POW or deserter
2.have them kneel on their knees
3.touch muzzle to head
4.fire

When the Nagant was designed most of Europe thought of officers as above the battlefield fighting. They were there to keep the troops in line. Side arms were for executions and shooting your own men trying to retreat.

TEDDY

December 11, 2008, 10:31 PM

the 32/20 is the cartridge to use as the shell seals the barrel.and the bullet is inside the case."only use the empty case and reload"

Wildalaska

December 11, 2008, 11:45 PM

the 32/20 is the cartridge to use as the shell seals the barrel.and the bullet is inside the case."only use the empty case and reload"

Huh?:confused:

WildcaretoexplainthatAlaska TM

johnwilliamson062

December 12, 2008, 09:09 AM

I would also like a further explanation of how the 32/20 works or a link to some explanation or anything more on this.

NM I see you mean use the brass and reload with the Nagant dies.

jrfoxx

December 14, 2008, 11:31 AM

Mine was actually more accurate with .32 S&W Longs than with original Russian 7.62x38R target ammo, which works out quite well due to the difference in price between the 2.Neat guns.

greywalker

December 18, 2008, 04:21 AM

Yeah, i took mine out today, just for a visual inspection, etc, and I still get a kick out of how ugly cool that darn thing is- and how freakin heavy the trigger pull is........ normally I avoid any caliber I cannot readily get round here, but the fact that it shoots .32 s+w too sold me..... and maybe I will pick up a box of the h+r mags for JIC- though i would have to be about out of everything to go to my nagant for defense......

Sulaco2

December 18, 2008, 11:56 PM

Thought they made two versions of the gun, one a double action for "officers" and a single action for "sgts" and some enlisted. Have never seen a single action but have shot and owned several "officers' guns...
Reportedly this revolver was the gun of choice for Russian international target shooters :eek: How they ever shot well enough to score with the yards of trigger pull is beyond me.
The KGB thought highly of these with a shortened 3" barrel. Used them to kill the Czar and his family says the history books. Or tried to, apparently when they tried to shoot the female family members in the prison basement the .32 rounds bounced off the gold coins and jewlery stuffed in the under clothing...